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Where Does The Money To Make Truth-Clarifying Materials Come From?
By a Dafa practitioner from China
(Clearwisdom.net) We discovered that many people still have a lot of
questions when we clarify the truth of Dafa to them. Aside from doubts about
the staged self immolation and murder frame-ups (propaganda stunts contrived
by the Party to demonize Falun Gong in the minds of the public), many still
wonder: "You practitioners are distributing so many materials including CDs for
free. Where does the money to make these materials come from?" Although we
explained the truth to them with patience, many of them still have a hard time
believing us.
A few stories from our truth-clarifying material production sites might help
clear up their doubts.
Story One
In March 2002, I was released from a forced labor camp. Soon after, I
participated in some activities with a group of practitioners. Because we made
some errors in arranging the event, all of us were arrested at an
experience-sharing conference by the police. Many of those arrested were
responsible for making and distributing truth-clarifying materials in the city.
Because we lacked consideration and carefulness, we brought a big loss to Fa-rectification
work in the city and the whole area around it. The truth-clarifying work in the
city was stopped, and for quite a while, many practitioners in the city had no
way to see Minghui articles and Teacher's new articles.
A few days after we were arrested, I escaped with the help of righteous
thoughts. I studied the Fa carefully and examined my shortcomings and
attachments. Seeing that practitioners in the city could not see Teacher's new
articles and articles on Minghui, I felt responsible to re-build the
truth-clarifying materials site. I talked to two other practitioners about my
idea, and they also wanted to do the same thing. However, we didn't have any
money. The two practitioners' family members were non-practitioners, and
besides, their families were pretty poor. We decided to ask for help from a few
other practitioners we knew.
A few days later, a fellow practitioner invited me to his home. It was a
couple in their 60's, and both of them were Dafa practitioners. They looked
very young for their age. The husband asked the wife to take out 10,000 yuan
(1) and said to me, "Take the money. You need it to buy some equipment, right?"
Looking at the couple, I knew they worked for an average salary, and that they
had retired years ago. Most work units are not making much money currently. The
10,000 yuan was probably all they had.
I said to them, "I can take half of this money; I will find the rest through
some other means. If I take all you have, what if you have an urgent need?" The
husband said, "No, take it all. This money should be used to do the important
things. I have a temporary job now, so if you need more money, come to me
again. I said, "How come you are still working at this age?" He replied, "I am
in good health as a result of practicing Dafa; this is the benefit I received
from Dafa. I am free of diseases or trouble now, yet we must think of saving
sentient beings, and that takes money. As long as I can, I will go to work; if
you need money, you can ask me for it."
I was so moved by the selflessness of the practitioner that tears kept
running down my face. I felt my responsibility. With tears in my eyes, I took
the money. I had nothing to say to them; I only told myself that I must run the
truth-clarifying materials site well!
With the 10,000 yuan I got from the couple, we bought our first copier.
Although it was a small one, which could only make 10 to 20 copies a minute, it
always worked well. We bought a bigger copy machine later, but everyone at the
production site liked our first one and we didn't want to replace it.
Story Two
In September 2003, I heard that a practitioner was released from jail. The
practitioner was tortured badly when she was arrested. The police guards beat
and shocked her with electric batons for an entire night, trying to force her
to tell the whereabouts of her fellow practitioners. She firmly refused to
cooperate with them. The torture left bruises and injuries all over her body.
An inmate said in tears, "The police are so brutal!" The practitioner was
detained for over 6 months before being released.
Because she knows me well, before she was arrested she asked someone to
deliver a message to me, saying that she wanted to meet me. When we met, she
took out some cash from her pocket and gave it to me. The cash was in different
kinds of bills, some large and some small, and the total amount was about 130
yuan. I asked her, "Why are you giving me this?" She said, "I know you need
money to make truth-clarifying materials. This is my small contribution. I was
detained for such a long time, during which I did nothing to clarify the truth.
After I was released, my family started to worry about my safety, so they don't
allow me to come out. I said I was very bored, and wanted to come out to do
some grocery shopping. They agreed. I saved some money by being thrifty in the
shopping. When I have more, I will find you again and give it to you. After
all, I have to contribute to the cause of saving sentient beings, even a little
bit." She took some truth-clarifying materials and left. I said to myself while
watching her walk away, "The solid heart of Dafa practitioners toward Dafa
cannot be changed by any evil tribulations and persecution."
Story Three
One day in the summer of 2003, a practitioner put a small bag in my hands.
It felt pretty heavy. I asked the practitioner, "What is this?" The
practitioner asked me to open it. Inside the bag there were a lot of 50 cent
coins, and 1 yuan bills, tidily rolled together. There were also some small
bills. Altogether, there was about 50 to 60 yuan in the bag. I asked the
practitioner, "Whose money is this?" The practitioner said, "This is from Xiao
Min (alias). She wanted me to give the money to the truth-clarifying production
site. Hearing that I did not want to take her money, she insisted, and she
almost started to cry. I didn't have a choice but to bring the money to you."
Xiao Min is a young Dafa practitioner, who is still going to school
(probably middle or high school). Her mother, a Dafa practitioner, was abducted
several times by the persecutors and is currently detained in a detention
center. Xiao Min also went to Beijing to validate Dafa. The persecutors
arrested the young girl and detained her in a detention center. Her school also
dismissed her. Later on, Xiao Min's dad had to use his personal relationships
in order to get her back into school. Her mom is still being detained; her dad
is also being monitored by his work unit, despite the fact that he is not a
practitioner. Xiao Min has to take care of herself as a result.
Looking at the money with tears in my eyes, I said, "The kid's mom is not at
home; she saved the money penny by penny. Why didn't you leave some for her?"
The fellow practitioner said, "I did want to leave some for her, but she
refused firmly. She said that the money was saved for Dafa, for making
truth-clarifying materials, not for herself; she said she could take care of
herself, and she asked us not to worry about her." I accepted the "heavy" bag
and the pure heart of the young practitioner.
In the past two years, our truth-clarifying material production site has run
smoothly with the continuous contribution of numerous practitioners. However,
knowing how difficult the money was saved and came to us, we cherished every
penny and never wasted any of it. Many Dafa practitioners saved the money from
their breakfast, their groceries, clothes, and even ice cream bars, from young
practitioners. Only with all the contributions could we produce CDs that move
people to tears, pretty brochures and fliers that shake people's souls.
Dafa practitioners don't seek fame, money, or rewards. We distribute free
truth-clarifying materials and CDs with only one wish: to save you from the
lies and slanders toward Dafa from Jiang's followers, so that you are no longer
deceived and endangered by them.
All Dafa practitioners are saving sentient beings with their pure hearts,
because our practitioners have truly benefited from cultivating Dafa. Dafa
brought us healthier bodies, higher moral standards, and a happier family life.
We want to speak out about all the blessings and goodness Dafa brought us, so
that everyone in this world can share them with us.
Notes:
(1) yuan -- Chinese currency, the monthly salary for an average Chinese
urban worker is about 500 yuan.
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